'Cyber bullies' launch fresh attack on Alan Jones

ALAN Jones branded them ''cyber bullies'' - but his online critics have stepped up their attack on the broadcaster, calling for companies who have withdrawn advertising on his program to continue their boycott through 2013.

Just hours after Jones used his newly ad-free 2GB breakfast program to slam the online backlash against him and his sponsors as ''cyber bullying'', Facebook petitioners were fighting back with a fresh attack.

''Jones and 2GB will try and woo [advertisers] back this week - but we should ask them to follow Mercedes' lead and commit to not returning next year (or ever) to financially backing Jones' hateful and aggressive attacks,'' the Sack Alan Jones Facebook page announced.

Jones has been embroiled in a storm of criticism since it was revealed he told a Young Liberals function that Prime Minister Julia Gillard's father had ''died of shame'' because of political ''lies'' told by his daughter.

The Sack Alan Jones page, which has more than 17,300 followers, also published the website and Facebook page addresses of more than 30 companies who advertise on 2GB including McDonald's, Big W, Coles and Harvey Norman, encouraging users to call on them to drop sponsorship of Jones' show.

''We're here to help you all say enough is enough,'' the page said.

However organisers' calls to promote the campaign on Twitter via the hashtag ''#Jones2013'' may backfire after it was discovered it was already being used by fans of American baseballer Chipper Jones.

Another Facebook page titled ''Destroy the Joint'' - a reference to Jones' August comment that female leaders, including Prime Minister Julia Gillard, were ''destroying the joint'' - was also rallying its more than 13,500 members after Jones' broadcast this morning.

''You will see and hear Macquarie Radio Network try to position us as cyberbullies. Here's the thing: these people do not understand that we have been liberated from being passive audience members who will accept their hate speech,'' the page said.

''We are the small kids in the playground who have finally been able to get together - through social media - and stand up to the cruel teacher with the cane.

''We want change. And now, with all of us together, we can get it.''

The online rallying calls are the next moves in what Macquarie Radio Network executive chairman Russell Tate has branded a ''21st century cyber bullying campaign'' against Jones and 2GB.

Mr Tate accused cyber bullies of bombarding advertisers, including many small businesses, with thousands of threatening emails and calls, prompting the station to pull all advertising from Jones' show at a cost of $80,000 a day.

The station itself has also received threats made on Facebook and other websites, by email to the radio station and via its telephone switchboard.

Some of the telephone calls had reduced the ''girls on the switchboards'' to tears, Jones said on air this morning.